We have had retired priests, judges, lawyers, teachers, insurance people and train engineers join us. In the winter we meet in Florida and after that we meet up north. Today we were three in number. Two retired principals and a retired business man.

Boy, what a lunch!

Our business friend is a volunteer in the New York City school system, helping in the primary reading program. He has done this for a year and now he is an expert. We listened as he explained what was wrong and how to cure the city problems. All based on one year of being a volunteer. My school friend and I were listening with careful expressions on our faces. Combined, my friend and I have about seventy years of experience in the field of education. As compared to one year with my business friend.

We listened and listened carefully to what was said. We have heard it all before. We really have. Nothing is new or different from years ago.

I came home unhappy and with a sense of being defeated, because all of the arguments were given by a dear old friend of more than fifty years. I was in a purple funk. I felt betrayed and not trusted by a dear friend He blathered on and on about what was wrong and complained about the fact that my friend and I had done nothing to clean up the situation with the city schools.

I sat brooding until I realized that the same thing is happening in soccer. People enter the game with no background and claim to have all the solutions. An overweight man in California stands on the sidelines and announces that he has all the solutions to what is wrong with youth soccer. People believe him, based on his standing on the sidelines? I am underwhelmed by all of it. I wonder why I bother at all to stay with the game and the players.

But I love the game and the players. Most of all the players. They are great. They seek help and appreciate it when it is given. Cheap shots from the sidelines tend to be ignored by the better players. We are together on this subject. We ignore the comments from the sidelines.

Where am I?

Oh, of course. Dealing with newcomers to the game of soccer who want to win at any price. They miss the beauty of the game. The process of playing soccer which is the main thing for the players. Not winning or losing, but playing a pretty game and getting some satisfaction in so doing.

With young kids is the purpose to win or play well? You tell me.

For my friend in the classroom after a career in business, is the purpose to teach children or criticize the administration? You tell me.

I have a lifetime of information to give either my business friend or the fat man on the sidelines. I bet that neither are interested.

Alan Maher